Kakon, Kalu groups trade gunfire in turf war over control of Padma chars

A gunfight broke out between the Kakon and Kalu groups over control of the Padma River chars along the Kushtia and Pabna stretches today (27 October), police said.

The exchange of gunfire began around 2pm and continued into the afternoon, with local residents reporting more than 100 shots. No immediate reports of casualties or property damage were available.

Mohammad Billal Hossain, superintendent of Rajshahi River Police, confirmed the incident.

According to police and local sources, the clash took place near the confluence of the Padma and Garai rivers on the Kushtia side, where the Kakon group was positioned, and in the Kalabagan area of Digri Char in Ishwardi, Pabna, where the Kalu group was based.

Local sources said the confrontation stemmed from a dispute between the groups over control of the river.

Nayan, a local boatman, said members of the Kakon group arrived with others on a trawler and opened fire around 2pm. Two more boats joined them around 4pm, he added.

“Gunfire has been occurring intermittently since around 2pm. More than 100 shots have been fired so far,” Nayan said.

After receiving reports of the gunfire, police headed to the area. Members of Rajshahi River Police and Ishwardi Police Station were deployed to help control the situation.

Superintendent of Rajshahi River Police Billal said, “We have heard about the gunfire and sent our personnel to the area, along with a team from Ishwardi Police Station. The incident did take place,” he said.

When contacted for an update around 6:40pm, Billal Hossain said police had received no reports of another major clash after evening.

River police and district police personnel had reached as far as Kalabagan but heard no further gunfire, he said.

Asked whether the groups were still in their positions, the police superintendent said earlier information indicated that one group was in Kalabagan and the other on the river. However, officers could no longer see members of either group in the area that evening, and no further gunfire was heard.

The incident triggered fear among local residents.

However, no casualties or fresh escalation had been reported by night, and police had not immediately confirmed whether the situation was fully under control.